Feed-water heater.



Patented December 22, 1903 UNITED STATES, PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM THURMOND, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

' FEED-WATER H'EATER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 747,509, dated December22, 1903.

Application filed February 14,1 903. Serial No. 143,297. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM THURMOND, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Denver, in the county of Denver and State of Colorado,have invented a new and'Improved Feed-Water Heater and Purifier, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a class of feedwater heaters forsteam-boilers, in which exhaust-steam from a motor driven by steam fromthe boiler isemployed for heating water previous to its introductioninto the boiler.

It is well known that steam which has done duty in an engine whenexhausted therefrom carries with it oily matter that is vaporized, thisimpurity being introduced as a lubricant for working parts in thecylinder and Valvechest of the engine.

The objects of this invention are to provide a novel simple apparatuswhich will afiord effective means for the utilizing of exhauststeam, toheat the water-supply for a steamboiler, separate oily matter therefrom,and also purify the feed-water by elimination of acids or alkalies thatmay pervade the water when it enters the improved heater and purifier. v

The invention consists in the novel construction of parts and theircombinatiomas is hereinafter described, and defined in the appendedclaims. 7

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing and the characters ofreference thereon, the single figure representing a sectional sideelevation of the improved water heating and purifying apparatus.-

A receptacle or tank 10 is provided of suit: able capacity and anypreferred form. As shown, the tank 10 is quadrangular, having its topand lower walls parallel with each other and separated sufiiciently toaffordnecessary depth to the liquid it contains in service. Upon the topwall 10 of the receptacle 10 a condensing-stack 11 is erected over anaperture therein, said stack having suitable height and diameter forefficient service.

On the upper end of the stack 11 a flaring enlargement or wall12 isformed, surmounted by a coniform hood 13 of less diameter than theflaring toppiece of the stack, and the hood is supported concentricallyin said top by a plurality of upright posts 14, erected upon the flaringwall 12, thus aifording an annular throat a between the Wall 12 and hood13.

At suitable intervals the side wall of the stack 11 is intersected by aplurality of coldair inlet pipes 15, preferably in the form shown, eachconsisting of a tubular piece bent at a right angle near its lower end,affording a short horizontal member secured in an orifice formed in thestack-wall, the main portions of the inlet-pipes being upwardlyprojected centrally within the stack, as represented in the drawing.

On the upper end of each inlet-pipe 15 a hood 16 is preferably mountedand spaced therefrom a proper degree, said hoods serving to diffuse theair inducted within the stack by the pipes 15. 1

Near the top wall 10 of the receptacle 10 one end of an exhaust-steampipe 17 is secured in a side wall of the receptacle, this pipe (shownbroken away) in complete condition being extended to a steam-actuatedmotor (not shown) to serve as an exhauststeam conduit from the motor tothe receptacle 10. t I

- Below and near the exhaust-steam pipe 17 a water-supply pipe 18 isintroduced through the side of the receptacle 10, this pipe beingextended to a source of water under pressure sufficient to insure aproper delivery of water into the receptacle 10, and it is to beunderstood that the Water-supply is regulated by means of a valve, (notshown,) so that a proper quantity may be introduced into the receptacleor tank 10 or be prevented from flowing into it if this is desired.

A water-feeding pipe 19, that in complete form extends from a suitablewater-supply, communicates with a side wall of the tank 10 near thebottom wall l0 thereof.

3 A float 20,0f any preferred material or form, is provided and adaptedby its buoyancy to be carried upon the water A, that is fed into thereceptacle or tank 10 from the supplypipe 18, and upon the float 20 averticallyadjustable bracket-plate 21 is mounted, passing through avertical guide-tube therein and having a graduated scale 22 thereon.

The scale-plate 22 is held at a desired point of vertical adjustment byits frictional engagement within the guide-tube or by any other suitablemeans. Upon the lower end of the bracket-plate 21 one end portion of ahose-section 23 is secured, so that the open end of the hose will beprojected therefrom for a free flow of water therein.

The hose-section 23 is extended from the bracket-plate 21 to engage withthe end of the water-feed pipe 19 within the tank 10, and in effect is aflexible extension of the same.

A suitable number of box-like holders 24 are hung from the inner surfaceof the top wall 10, thus disposing them at suitable distances apart onsaid wall within the tank 10. The holders 24 may contain concentratedlye or other chemical adapted to neutralize oily matter or acids thatmay pervade the water contained within and that enters the tank 10.

In the bottom wall 10 of the tank 10 an opening I) is formed, that isnormally sealed by a cover 10, secured in place by bolts or other means,which permit a displacement of the coverfor discharge of impurities fromthe tank when this is necessary.

In service the tank 10 is supplied with water through the pipe 18, beingsprayed therefrom into the upper portion of the tank, this spray ofwater being mingled with the exhaust-steam that enters the tank 10through the pipe 17 above and near to the water-supply pipe 18.

The intimate contact of the water and exhaust-steam heats the waterhighly, and a considerable amount of the steam is condensedthereby.Theinfluxof exhaust-steam that exceeds the amount condensed by the waterheats the chemicalsuch, for example, as concentrated lye contained inthe boxes 24=-and a small amount of such material continuously dripsfrom the boxes that are arranged to permit such a gradual escape of thelye when liquefied by the heat of the steam.

The chemical action of the contents of the boxes 24, that enter thewater held in the tank 10, eifects a precipitation of the impurities,which by their gravity fall down to the bottom of the tank to be removedwhen this becomes necessary. The volume of water usually held in thetank 10 maintains the float 20 upon its surface near the top wall 10 ofthe tank, and, as shown, the open end of the hose-section 23 is thussupported on the bracket-plate 21 at a predetermined distance below thelevel of the water for conveyance of the purified water through thehose-section and feed-pipe 19 to the steam-boiler for its supply.

It is found in practice that the water in the tank becomes heated tosuch a degree that it is advantageous for its transfer from the tank tothe steam-boiler that the inlet end of the hose-section 23 be supporteda short distance below the level of the Water, and for such a purposethe free end of the hose is supported by the adjustable bracketplate 21on the float 20-, the depth of immersion of said end of the hose-sectionbeing incated by the scale 22 on the bracket-plate.

It will be seen that the excess of exhauststeam that enters the tank 10will be drawn into the base of the stack 11 and pass upward therein, thecontact of the steam with the cooling-surfaces of the stack and airinlet pipes 15, along with the air introduced within the stack by saidpipes, serving to condense the steam into water that drips from thebonnet 13 and runs down the inner surface of the stack as purified waterinto the tank 10.

The apparatus as explained is simple, practical, and adapted forcontinuous operation, and serves elfectively as an exhaust-steamcondenser, a feed-water heater, and a feedwater purifier.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. The combination with a water-holding tank, awater-supply pipe, an exhaust-steam pipe, said pipes tapping the tanknear each other, and a boiler-feeding water-pipe extending from the tanknear its lower wall, of a pliable hose-section forming an inwardextension of the feed-water pipe, a float, and a graduated scale-plateslidably held on the float by suitable means, the lower end of saidscale-plate supporting the inner end of the pliable hose above thebottom of the tank to receive purified water.

2. The combination witha feed-water-heating tank, of boxes hung from theinner side of the top wall of the tank, to contain purifying materialthat is heated by steam that enters the tank.

3. The combination with a feed-water-heating tank, means for introducingsteam into said tank, and means for introducing water therein adjacentto the steam-inlet, of an upright hollow stack wherein excess ofexhauststeam is condensed, said stack having aflaring top, a hoodsupported on the stack concentric with the fiaring top, and acold-airinlet pipe tapping the side of the stack to aid condensation ofexhaust-steam passing upward therein.

4. The combination with a water-tank, a water-inlet pipe, and anexhaust-steam-inlet pipe near the water-supply pipe, of a hollow stackon the tank having an air-inlet pipe tapping its side and projectingupward therein.

5. The combination with a feed-water-heating tank, a cold-water-inletpipe, and an exhaust-steam-inlet pipe,of a boiler-feeding wator-pipe,tapping a side of the tank near its bottom, a flexible gum-hoseconnection secured by one end upon the inserted end of the boiler-feedpipe, a graduated scale-plate, adjustable through the float, andconnected with the remaining end of the hose-section, to elevate it forthe reception of purified feedwater [0 gagement with the extended end ofthe feedwater pipe, to elevate it by means of the float, a distancedetermined by the adjustment of the bracket-plate on said float.

In testimony whereof I have signed 'my name to this specification in thepresence 0t 1:

two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM THURMOND; Witnesses:

WILSON D. REID, ALBERT S. BROOKS.

